Automatic tool for setting bristles into brush bodies



H. SCHMIDT Oct. 23, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1959 Q mw mm Am NM #3 m Oct. 23, 1962 H. SCHMIDT 3,059,972

AUTOMATIC TOOL FOR SETTING BRISTLES INTO BRUSH BODIES Filed Aug. 24,1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 23, 1962 H. SCHMIDT 3,059,972

AUTOMATIC TOOL FOR SETTING BRISTLES INTO BRUSH BODIES Filed Aug. 24,1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,059,972 AUTOMATIC TOOL FORSETTWG BRISTLES INTO BRUElH BODIES Herbert Schmidt, Hohenioekstedt,Holstein, Germany Filed Aug. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 835,767 Claims priority,application Germany Aug. 26, 1958 9 Claims. (Cl. 300-) The presentinvention relates to the manufacture of brushes and, more particularly,is directed to an apparatus for automatically inserting tufts ofbristles into a brush body. The invention is particularly concerned withan automatic control system for such apparatus.

The individual operational steps to be controlled of such apparatuscomprise primarily (a) The grasping of a number of tuft-forming bristlesfrom a stock and feeding the same toward the tuftsetting means,

(b) Forming a wire loop and placing the same around a tuft or in theforming of anchoring means from a flat wire and feeding the same infront of the tuft material,

(c) Feeding the thus prepared tuft into the tuft-setting means proper,

(d) Moving the tuft-setting means into contact with the brush body to beprovided with the respective tuft, and

(e) Inserting the respective tuft into the brush body so that the endsof the wire loop looped around the tuft will be driven into the materialof the brush body so as to anchor the tuft therein.

With the heretofore known automatic tuft-setting devices, all of theabove mentioned operational steps are controlled mechanically. Suchmechanical control, however, requires a considerable number of elementsand is rather complicated in construction, which is the reason that suchheretofore known mechanical atuoniatic con trol devices are ratherfrequently liable to disturbances and are very expensive as tomanufacture. Both factors unfavorably affect the economy of massproduction of brushes. Moreover, the tendency to increase the output asfar as possible forces the manufacturer to increase the speeds ofindividual operational steps more and more which in turn brings about afast wear and the necessity of prematurely replacing the tools in suchheretofore known mechanical control. This fact in combination with thefact that the respective tools have to be manufactured with extreme highprecision furnish the explanation for the high cost of manufacture andoperation of said heretofore known automatic mechanically controlledtuft-setting devices.

Inasmuch as the heretofore known rather expensive mechanicallycontrolled automatic tuft-setting devices, in which the tools have tocarry out up to five operations per second, have thus reached the end oftheir development, it is an object of the present invention to providean automatic tuft-setting apparatus of the general character set forthabove, in which, however, the mechanical control system Will be replacedby a different type of control system which will not have the drawbacksoutlined above of the heretofore known mechanically controlledtuft-setting devices referred to above.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tuftsettingapparatus of the type set forth in the preceding paragraph, which willbe relatively simple in construction and which can be producedrelatively inexpensively.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a tuft-settingapparatus as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, which will make itpossible further to increase the output of the apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a tuft-setting apparatus with acontrol mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a modified tuft-setting apparatus according to the invention.

FIGS. 3 to 8 illustrate the tuft-setting tool in the subsequent workingpositions of its single parts.

General Arrangement The tuft-setting apparatus of the present inventionis characterized primarily by a fluid operable control mechanism as forinstance a pneumatically operable control mechanism or a hydraulicallyoperable control mechanism. The employment of fluid operable means forcontrolling the various control operations imparts upon the operation ofthe apparatus a heretofore non-obtainable smoothness, without affectingthe precision of operation. In this way, the wear of the tools forcarrying out the individual operational steps Will be considerablyreduced and thus the life of the apparatus will be increased While itsliability to disturbances will be greatly decreased. Standard switch andcontrol elements may be employed for the individual movements of thetools. The respective location of these switch and control elements maybe selected in conformity with the particular requirements and thepneumatic or hydraulic connections may be effected in any convenientmanner by hoses or the like. It is furthermore possible in view of thefiluid pressure control of the present invention to combine a greaternumber of tools to an automatic brush-producing unit.

In conformity with the present invention, the control of the pneumaticor hydraulic tool drives may be effected by a single control membercommon thereto such as for instance a cam shaft the cams of whichactuate control elements for the individual drives. By correspondinglyoff-setting the individual cams, the desired sequence of operation ofthe tools will be assured.

According to a modification of the present invention, the pressure fluiddriving and controlling means for bringing about the individual Workingoperations may also be arranged in series in such a way that eachworking step will control or initiate the next working step. Such anarrangement will assure the proper sequence of operation of the variousoperational steps and will further reduce the possibility of anydisorders.

The course of the movements associated with each working operation may,according to the invention, be controlled in conformity with themovement of the work piece. In other words, the start of the workingoperations may be controlled by the stepwise effected feed of the brushbody to be provided with tufts of bristles.

While the working speed of the tools in an apparatus according to theinvention is less than that of a mechanically controlled apparatus ofthe type involved, this can be more than compensated for in a fluidpressure operated device according to the present invention by providinga sufiicient number of pressure actuated tools, and above all incorresponding arrangement along the path of the brush body, preferablyso that with each feed step of the work piece conveyor, the machine willdeliver a completed brush at its discharge end.

Structural Arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIG.1 and FIGS. 3 to 8 thereof in particular, the arrangement shown thereincomprises primarily a first portion with the actual tools and a secondportion representing the control mechanism according to the invention.Said first portion, which comprises to a great extent a mechanism knownper se, is designed as follows. In a stationary housing 2 there islongitudinally displaceably mounted a setting needle 3 which is actuatedand guided by the piston 4 and is furthermore guided in a transversewall 5. Also longitudinally displaceably mounted in housing 2 is a slide6 which is connected to a setting head 8 by means of an arm 7 firmlyconnected to said head and extending through the wall of said housing.The said tool head 8 is coaxially connected to the setting needle 3 andis provided with a longitudinal bore for the latter. The head 8 islocated in front of one end face of housing 2 and is displaceable so asto be able to be brought into engagement with a work piece 1. Betweenthe needle piston '4 and slide 6 in housing 2 there is mounted a spring9, whereas between said slide 6 and the transverse wall there isinterposed a spring 10. However, if desired, the feed of the tool head 8may also be effected by a separate fluid compressed actuating drive.

The apparatus or working tools thereof include a device 11 for graspingand feeding a certain quantity of bristles. This device, which has theshape of a sickle, is provided with a recess 12 and is adapted tooscillate. When said sickle 11 is oscillated outwardly (FIG. 1), it willfrom the stock container 13 grasp a certain quantity of bristles, hairsor the like and will convey the same to the station a between the endface of housing 2 and the setting head 8 (FIG. 5). For purposes offorming the anchoring loop from wire or in order to apply the anchoringloop to the withdrawn tufts of bristles to be set, the following meansare employed. By means of a pair of rollers 14, 15 one of which isfirmly connected to a drive gear ring 16, a wire 17 is fed to the frontportion of housing (FIG. 1). A cutting or bending tool 18 longitudinallydisplaceably journalled in housing 2 and provided with a passage for thesetting needle 3, is adapted to separate a section 17a from wire 17(FIG. 3) and to bend the cut-off section into U-shape. This is effectedthrough the intervention of a mandrel 19 Which is transverselydisplaceable with regard to housing 2 on a bar 20. The mandrel 19 isdisplaceable on rod or bar 20 and in a direction transverse to thehousing 2, which direction is in fact (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4)rectangular to the plane of FIG 1, and is adapted to be moved into thelongitudinal central axis of the housing 2 and thus into the path oftool 18 and setting needle 3. The bending tool 18 protrudes by means oftransverse bar 21 from a slot of housing 2, the said transverse bar 21being connected to a feed drive. After withdrawal of mandrel 19, thetool 3 will introduce the U-shaped wire loop 17a and the tuft 13a ofbristles grasped at (a) into the bore of the setting head 8 (FIGS. 5 and'6). After the setting head 8 has been advanced until it engages thebrush body 1 (FIG. 7), the needle 3 pushes the wire loop 17a with thetuft 13a of bristles into a bore of the brush body '1 thereby carryingout the tuft-setting operation (FIG. 8).

The fluid pressure operated mechanism of the tuftsetting apparatusaccording to the invention comprises the following elements (FIGS. 1 and2). For purposes of actuating the sickle 11 there is provided a fluidpressure cylinder 22 with double acting piston 23, said cylinder 22being journalled so as to be adapted to oscillate. 'Ihe piston rod 24 ofpiston 23 is pivotally connected to sickle 11. The stepwise feed of wire17, in the form shown in FIG. 1, is effected by a piston rod 26aconnected to the piston 26 which is reciprocably mounted in a pressurefluid cylinder which is journalled so as to be able to oscillate. Thedrive of the cutting and bending tool 1 8 is effected by a cylinder 27having a double acting piston 28 reciprocably mounted thereon, whilepiston rod 29 connected to piston 28 is connected to bar or arm 21. Thesetting needle 3 extends outwardly through the rear end of housing 2 andis connected to a double acting piston 32 reciprocably mounted in acylinder 31. The rod 20 is driven by a piston 35 which is reciprocablymounted in cylinder 36.

The above described elements and mechanisms are the same for thearrangement of FIG. 1 and for the arrangement of FIG. 2, except as notedbelow, and therefore have been designated with the same referencenumerals.

There will now be described in detail the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

As will be evident from FIG. 1, in the path of the stepwise advancedbrush body 1 there is arranged an electric control switch 38 which isactuated by each of the work pieces when passing by said switch 38. Theswitch 38 is by means of lines 39 leading to a switch 40 electricallyconnected with an electric motor 41. Motor 41 through a worm wheel gearsystem 4 2 drives a control shaft 43 which has mounted thereon incertain offset arrangement five cam discs 44, each cam or disc 44 beingoffset -to the next one in a certain manner. Each of the cams is adaptedto actuate a pressure fiuid controlling switch 45 to 49. These switchesform the control means for the working cylinders 25, 22, 31, 27 and 36to which said switches are connected by the lines shown in FIG. 1.

During the feed of the work pieces which is effected in successivesteps, a brush body 1 taking part in said Work piece feeding movementcloses switch 38 thereby closing the energizing circuit for the electricmotor 41 so as to start the same. The switch 41 in line 39 represents atime switch determining the time for which the motor 4 1 thus startedwill remain in operation. This period controlled by switch 40 is soselected that the cam shaft 43 will carry out precisely one completerevolution in the direction of the arrow b. During this revolution, thecam surfaces of the cam discs 44 respectively control the switches 45 to4% associated therewith in the direction of advance and return of thepistons of the respective cylinder piston systems controlled thereby.This is effected in the sequence determined by the offset arrangement ofthe cams. Inasmuch as said sequence is determined in conformity with thesequence of the movement of the individual parts of the apparatus, itwill be evident that with each complete rotation of cam shaft 43 acomplete series of setting operations or a complete setting cycle willbe effected.

If desired, the arrangement may be modified so that each switch 45 to 49has connected thereto a number of tool drives, for instance for as manytools as are required for the simultaneous setting of a brush body. Inaddition thereto, the common control range may be broadened by acorrespondingly extending shaft 43 and mounting thereon a number ofgroups of cam discs 44 and associating therewith a corresponding numberof switches 45 to 49. If a larger tuft-setting machine is to beproduced, the entire control mechanism from motor 41 on up to switches45 to 49 may be multiplied and all control means may be controlledparallel to each other by a work piece switch 38 common thereto.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 withregard to the control of the individual working operations which in thisinstance are controlled in series. In connection therewith, the fluidpressure operable drives of the parts of the apparatus are supplementedin such a way that the piston rod 29 is provided with a dog or nose 30,while the piston rod 3 is equipped with a finger 3-3, and rod 20 isprovided with a nose 37. In addition thereto, switches 50, 5 1 and 52are respectively arranged in the path of said noses and finger. Cylinder31 is preceded by an impulse valve 34. Cylinder 22 is journalled so asto be able to oscillate. A double lever 53 is adapted to take part inthe oscillating movement of cylinder 22. To this end, the said doublelever 53 is adapted by means of a push rod 54 engaging the gear ring 16to actuate stepwise the pair of rollers .14, 15 in such a Way that eachtime a wire piece of the length of the desired loop is fed into thehousing 2. Switch 55 is arranged in the path of the oscillating lever53.

If in the continuous work piece feed, the control member 38, which inthis instance operates pneumatically, is actuated by a brush bodypassing by switch 38, the said switch 38 will in its switched-onposition pass compressed air received from a main conduit 59 and conduit6%, through a conduit 61 to the cylinder piston system 22, 23operatively connected to the sickle 11. As a result thereof, said sickle11 will convey a certain quantity of bristles from container 13 tostation a. At the same time, the pair of rollers 14', 15 will, throughthe intervention of the lever system 53, 54, move a piece of wire .17into housing 2. During this operation, the oscillating lever 53 will bymeans of its free end actuate switch 55 so that the latter will throughconduit 63 actuate the cylinder piston system 27, 28 for the cutting orbending tool 18 so as to cause the same to bend the wire loop 1% aroundmandrel 19. During this movement, the control nose 3% of piston rod 29closes a switch 50 as a result of which pressure fluid passes throughconduit 54 to cylinder 36 and actuates piston 35 so as to withdraw orreturn bar 20 to its starting position. During this operation, nose 37of bar 24) actuates switch 52 designed as valve with idle return andadapted to release the compressed air through a conduit 66 to theimpulse valve 34. Valve 34 controls a cylinder piston system 3'1, 32 insuch a way that the setting needle 3 is instantaneously advanced wherebydue to the follower effect of spring 9 first the tool set 8 containingthe wirelooped tuft 13a of bristles is in a shock-like manner pressedagainst the brush body 1 while during the further stroke of piston 32,the setting needle 3 pushes or drives the tuft 14a of bristles into thereceptive bore 67 of the brush body 1. At the end of this movement, arm33 actuates the valve or switch 51 so that by compressed air passingthrough conduit 69 the impulse valve 34 is re versed and the returnstroke of piston 2 and thereby of setting needle 3 is initiated. At thesame time, during the stepwise advance of the work piece, the brush bodycontrolling the respective operation releases the control switch 38. Asa result thereof, switch 38 brings about an actuation of the cylinderpiston system 22, 23 through conduit 70 in such a Way that sickle 11,which may also be called the tuft-feeding means, will carry out a returnstroke, i.e. will return the recess 12 to the bristle storage container13. Due to the thus freed or released switch 55, the cylinder pistonsystem 27, 28 returns the tool 18 to its starting position, whereas thecylinder piston system 35', 36 after releasing valve or switch 52 liftsbar 20 so that the latter again moves mandrel 19 into the path of thetool 18. In this way, all elements of the tool-setting apparatus havebeen returned to their starting positions and are now ready for the nextfollowing automatic cycle which will be initiated by the next feedingstep of the work piece actuating switch 38.

It will be appreciated that instead of the automatically controlledswitch 38, also a manually operable switch may be provided.

Each of the cylinder piston systems of the above described twoembodiments is preceded by two control valves 71 (illustrated in FIG. 2.only), by means of which the stroke and speed of the driving pistons maybe precisely adjusted. As medium values for the working speed of thetool according to the invention, the speed of from 1 to 2 seconds percycle, and a further second for the feed of the work piece by one stepmay be mentioned.

It is, of course, to be underestood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular constructions shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for grasping bristles, binding said bristles up to tufts, andsetting the same into brush bodies: individual fluid operable actuatingmeans for said tools operatively connected to said tools, and controlmeans operatively connected to said fluid operable actuating meansoperable for automatically controlling the said actuating means in apredetermined sequence, said tools including feed means operable fordelivering a bristle bundle directly from a supply of bristles to a tuftsetting station, and a setting tool means operable for moving saidbristle bundle directly from said tuft setting station to a brush body.

2. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for grasping bristles, binding said bristles up to tufts, andsetting the same into brush bodies: individual fluid operable actuatingmeans for said tools operatively connected to said tools, and controlmeans operatively connected to said fluid operable actuating meansoperable for automatically controlling the said actuating means in apredetermined sequence, said control means including a plurality offluid control valves respectively associated with said fluid operableactuating means, said tools including feed means operable fordeliver-ing a bristle bundle directly from a supply of bristles to atuft setting station, and a setting tool means operable for moving saidbristle bundle directly from said tuft setting station to a brush body.

3. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for grasping bristles, binding said bristles up to tufts, andsetting the same into brush bodies: individual fluid operable actuatingmeans for said tools operatively connected to said tools, motor means, acam shaft operatively connected to said motor means and provided with aplurality of cam means corresponding to the number of tools to becontrolled, said cam means being oflset with regard to each other inconformity with the sequence according to which said tools have to be actuated, and means interposed between said fluid operable actuating meansand said cam means and operable by the latter for controlling the flowof fluid to and from said fluid operable actuating means, said toolsincluding feed means operable for delivering a bristle bundle directlyfrom a supply of bristles to a tuft setting station, and a setting toolmeans operable for moving said bristle bundle directly from said tuftsetting station to a brush body.

4. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for grasping bristles, binding said bristles up to tufts, andsetting the same into brush bodies: individual fluid operable actuatingmeans for said tools operatively connected to said tools, motor means, acam shaft operatively connected to said motor means and provided with aplurality of cam means corresponding to the number of tools to becontrolled, said cam means being offset with regard to each other inconformity with the sequence according to which said tools have to beactuated, valve means hydraulically connected to said fluid operableactuating means and under the control of said cam means so as to beoperable by the latter for controlling the flow of fluid to and fromsaid fluid operable actuating means, feeding means for feeding a workpiece to said apparatus, and switch means extending into the feedingpath of the work piece and operable thereby for controlling said motormeans to cause the motor means to drive the cam shaft one revolutioneach time said switch is actuated.

5. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for grasping bristles, binding said bristles up to tufts, andsetting the same into brush bodies: individual fluid operable actuatingmeans for said tools operatively connected to said tools, and controlmeans operatively connected to said fluid operable actuating means forautomatically controlling the same, said control means including aplurality of fluid control valve means respectively hydraulicallyassociated with said fluid operable actuating means, and means operatedby movement of each said tool, with the exception of the tool of thelast control means, to operate for controlling the initiation ofoperation of the others of the tools.

6. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for respectively feeding bristles to a tuft-forming station,binding said bristles up to tufts, and setting the same into brushbodies; individual fluid operable actuating means operatively connectedto said tools for actuating the same, a storage container for storingbristles, a tuft-binding station, said tool for feeding bristlescomprising a feeding member operatively connected to one of said fluidoperable actuating means and operable thereby for withdrawing bristlesfrom said container and feeding the same directly to said tuft-bindingstation, and for supporting the bristles in said station, wire feedingmeans for feeding a wire to said tuft-binding station, means foractuating said wire feeding means, a wire cutting and bending tool forcutting off a section of wire fed by said wire feeding means, controlmeans operable for controlling the operation of said wire cutting andbending tool, a mandrel operable for cooperation with said wire cuttingand bending tool for forming a loop of wire around the bristles to bebound to a tuft while the bristles are supported by said feeding member,additional fluid operable actuating means for controlling said mandrel,and means for conveying the bristle bundle and wire loop directly fromsaid feeding member to a brush body while setting the bristles and wireloop therein.

7. In an automatic tuft-setting apparatus comprising a plurality oftools for respectively feeding bristles to a tuft-forming station,binding said bristles up to tufts, and setting the same into brushbodies: a storage container for storing bristles, feeding means, a tuftbinding station, first fluid operable actuating means operativelyconnected to said feeding means for causing the same to withdrawbristles from said container and to feed the same directly to saidtuft-binding station and support the bristles in said station, wirecutting and bending means, second fluid operable actuating means foractuating said Wire cutting and bending means, wire feeding means forfeeding wire into the path of said wire cutting and bending means, meansfor actuating said wire feeding means, mandrel means, third fluidoperable actuating means operatively connected to said mandrel means forcontrolling the movement thereof to said tuft-forming station to permitsaid wire cutting and bending means to bend a Wire loop around thebristles at said tuft-forming station while the bristles are supportedtherein by said feeding means, tuft-setting means for engaging the wireloop and bristles and the wire loop and bristles directly from the saidfeed means to a brush body to set the bristles into a brush body, fourthfluid operable actuating means operatively connected to saidtuft-setting means, control means operable by said third fluid operableactuating means in response to a movement of said mandrel means fromsaid tuft-forming station, and impulse valve means operable by saidcontrol means for controlling said tuftsetting means.

8. In a machine for setting tufts in brush bodies: a setting headmovable into engagement with the brush body, a setting needlereciprocable in a straight line through the setting head for pushing atuft therethrough into the brush body, a bristle container, a bristlefeed member associated with the container operable for conveying bundlesof bristles from the container directly to the tuft forming stationlocated between the setting head and the setting needle and for holdingthe bundle of bristles therein, means for feeding a wire into the spacebetween the setting needle and the tuft in the tuft forming station andfor bending the wire, and means for advancing said setting needle towardthe brush body, resilient means between said needle and said settinghead whereby in one continuous movement the said needle advances thewire to the tuft forming station and then advances the tuft and wire tothe setting head and then advances the setting head and the tuft andwire into position where the setting head engages the brush body, andthen drives the tuft and wire through the setting head into the brushbody.

9. In a machine for setting tufts in brush bodies: means to support abrush body, a setting head movable axially into engagement with saidbody, a setting needle co-axial with said setting head, resilient meansbetween the setting head and setting needle so that movement of theneedle toward the brush body will advance the setting head intoengagement with the brush body, a bristle container, a feeding membermovable in one continuous movement to convey a predetermined quantity ofbristles from said container into the space between the setting head andthe setting needle and operable to support the bristles therein, meansfor feeding a wire and for cutting off the wire and forming it into aloop in the space between a tuft of bristles and the setting needle, andfluid operable means connected with said setting needle and operableafter the tuft of bristles and the Wire loop are in the aforementionedpositions to advance the setting needle toward the brush whereby in onecontinuous and uninterrupted movement the wire loop is brought intoengagement with the tuft of bristles and the wire loop and thereafterthe tuft of bristles and wire loop together with the setting head areadvanced toward the brush body until the setting head engages the brushbody and whereupon the setting needle and wire loop and tuft of bristlesare pushed through the setting head and the tuft of bristles is set intothe brush body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,097,296 Lipps 'Oct. 26, 1937 2,433,191 Baumgartner Dec. 23, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS E8425 III/9a Germany Dec. 13, 1956

